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“Rico …”
“A car, Ash. Now.”
Ash let out a weary sigh and fished a set of keys from his pocket. “The Mercedes. First door on the end, by the fence.”
It took a few minutes to get to the Mercedes, get it started, get the garage door up and get rolling. That was a few minutes too long, as far as Jericho was concerned.
By the time he reached the street, Tessa’s disturbed sister was long gone. He rolled down all the windows so he could hear the bike if he got anywhere near it and he turned the car in the direction she’d been headed when she passed in front of Ash’s study.
At the corner, a T intersection, he took a wild guess and went right, figuring a rider unfamiliar with a big bike would take the easy turn, given a choice. After that, he went straight until the fork in the road, where he veered to the right again and tried not to think about the damage that could be done to an expensive piece of machinery with a crazy woman riding it.
And what about the crazy woman herself? What could happen to her was even scarier. At least she’d been wearing his helmet when she drove past the front window. If she ended up eating pavement, she might break every bone in her skinny little body—but just maybe she wouldn’t kill herself.
He kept going, ears tuned for the bike’s distinctive sound. As he turned the circle around a doughnut intersection where five streets came together, he heard the familiar rumble.
From there, he just followed the sound.
He caught up with her as she turned—right again—onto the street that circled the park. She wasn’t going very fast, which was really good news. Plus, the street was essentially deserted. Two pickups went past going the opposite direction, headlights cutting the thickening darkness. But no vehicles blocked the space between the Mercedes and the bike.
Once he found her, it was simple. He got a bit too close, showing her some wheel, and she guided the bike nearer to the curb, wobbling a little as she went, to let him pass.
But he didn’t pass. He just got up parallel with her and drove along at a matching crawl. Any slower and she’d kill that big engine. In fact, how she’d managed not to kill it before then was a mystery to him.
She glanced over, her face all pinched and pissed off inside his too-big helmet. And she saw it was him. The surprise on her face might have been funny, if he hadn’t been more than a little freaked that she would hit the gas and lose control.
But the fates were kind. The sight of him had her easing off the throttle rather than gunning it. The bike sputtered and died. She rolled toward the shoulder. When the bike stopped, she put her feet down. He pulled the Mercedes in behind her.
Leaving the car’s engine running and the headlights on to see by, he was out the door and heading for her as she lowered the stand and climbed off. She undid the helmet strap. Her light brown hair caught static and crackled when she lifted the helmet free of her head.
He reached her. Moving slowly and carefully, she set the helmet on the seat. And then she turned and met his eyes. He had all kinds of things he was going to yell at her, all kinds of names he was going to call her.
But those big blue eyes looked so sad and so lost, he forgot about how he thought she was crazy. He even let go of the proud rage she had stirred in him when she took him for a burglar in his own brother’s house.
It seemed only natural. Just to hold out his arms. She stared at him for a moment, a small space of time that somehow became endless. In the headlight’s hard glare, her expression showed surprise. And then, in an instant, acceptance.
With a heavy sigh, she sagged against him. He gathered her in.
A couple more cars went by as they stood there, embracing in the wash of bright light. She hooked her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest. A soft, wordless sound escaped her. He felt the warmth of her breath, easing its way through the cloth of his shirt, touching his flesh.
And then she pulled back. He had the strangest urge to keep holding on. But he tamped that urge down. He let her go and she stepped away.
She hung her head. “I didn’t even have the guts to go fast.”
“And that’s a good thing.” He spoke sternly. “It would have been a seriously bad idea to do that.”
“Yeah. I guess.” She pulled something from her back pocket and held it out. It was the bike’s ignition cap.
He took it from her, suddenly remembering that her father was a mechanic. He’d met Patrick Jones at Ash’s wedding. “Your dad runs a garage, right?”
“Uh-huh. He taught me a thing or two about engines. Enough to make me dangerous, I guess.” She was still looking down, subdued now.
He just didn’t get it. “I gotta ask. What’s this about? Why would you steal my bike? What’s the point?”
She shook her head. “It’s a long story.”
“Try me.”
“My boyfriend dumped me.”
“I heard. I’m sorry. But … why take it out on me?”
She sent him a narrowed glance, and then looked at the pavement some more. “Because … I’m insane and possibly a drug addict?”
“What?”
She looked up again, a flash of anger in her eyes and then, as before, back down. “I heard what you said to Ash.”
He winced. But still, she shouldn’t have been listening in. “You were eavesdropping.”
“No, I wasn’t. It just … happened. I left my purse on the front hall table. Don’t ask me why, I don’t why. But when I realized I’d left it there, I went back to get it. I heard you guys in the study, talking. I knew I had to go past the open door to get to the table. I knew you would see me, and I would feel foolish to have wandered off without my purse—the family idiot on the loose without a keeper. It would be just one more proof that I’m a can short of a six-pack, you know? So I hesitated. That was when I heard what you said.”
Regret tugged at him. “Look, I really am sorry. I can see now I had it all wrong about you.”
“Yeah, well. It seriously ticked me off at the time. But now that I’ve cooled off a little, I guess I have to admit that I completely get why you would think I’m out of my mind.”
“So this, taking my bike, was payback?”
Still staring at the pavement, she shrugged. “In a totally wussy, pitifully ineffective sort of way, yeah.”
He touched her strong little chin with his finger, guiding it up so that she was looking at him again. “We can call it even from here. Start fresh. How ‘bout that?”
She made a disbelieving sound. “You sure you don’t want to have me arrested?”
He held her gaze. “It’s tempting, but I’ll pass.”
“Maybe a little time in jail would do me good,” she said half-jokingly, mocking herself.
And suddenly, he wanted to shake her. She didn’t have a clue about what happened behind bars.
His exasperation must have shown on his face. Her eyes widened. “Yikes. What did I say this time?”
Gruffly, he advised, “You don’t want to go to jail. Take my word on that.”
“Uh. Okay.”
He gentled his tone. “So, you think you can drive Ash’s Mercedes back to the house without running into anything?”
She hung her head again. “I could. If I could only find my way there.”
He understood. “You’re lost.”
“Oh, yeah. In more ways than one.”
He felt a surge of something that could only be called protectiveness. It surprised him. He wasn’t the protective type. “Here.” He took her small, soft hand, turned it over and put Ash’s keys in it. “You’re gonna be fine.”
“Oh, I hope so.”
“Just follow me.”
Marnie felt a little better about everything as she followed Jericho through the dark, quiet streets of Tessa’s neighborhood. Her very, very bad day was looking up a little.
Yeah, she’d let her whacked-out emotional state get the better of her and screwed up royally, stealing Jericho’s bike like that. But somehow, it had worked out all right. She even had a strange feeling she might end up calling Jericho a friend.
Who would have guessed that might happen?
Life was no rose garden. But it could surprise you in a good way now and then.
Even in the dark, she recognized Tessa’s street when they reached it. And she wasn’t far behind when Jericho turned his bike into the driveway beside Tessa’s house.
Tessa and Ash were waiting on the front step. Ash had his arm around her and she huddled close to him. The headlights of the Mercedes swept over them and Marnie saw that her sister’s face was pale and drawn with worry.
Way to go, Jones.
Guilt tightened her stomach and made her feel crappy all over again. She really needed to get her act together. Making Tessa suffer for her erratic behavior was not the way to treat her loyal, generous, loving big sister. Tessa would do anything for her and she knew it. She needed to start showing a little consideration and respect.
Things got worse in the house. Ash and Tessa were there in the kitchen when Marnie and Jericho came in through the glass doors.
“Marnie!” Tessa’s relief was painfully evident. “I’m so glad you’re all right….” She started to come to her.
Ash held her back with a hand on her shoulder. His blue eyes were dark with fury. Marnie realized she’d never seen him angry before. But he was now—angry at her. “What is the matter with you? You had your sister scared to death.”
“Ash, don’t …” Tessa gave him a pleading look. “It’s okay. She’s okay.”
Ash was not pacified. He pinned Marnie with an unforgiving glare. “You’re family. That means you’re welcome in this house. But you damn well better not pull any more stunts like this one tonight, or there is going to be big trouble between you and me.”
Marnie felt his harsh words like blows. They were true words. And that made them hurt all the more. She opened her mouth to say she was so sorry and she would never do anything like that again.
But Tessa spoke first, her gentle voice soothing. “Ash. Come on.” She turned to Marnie, her eyes moist with tears. “He worries about me. Please don’t take offense.”
Marnie let out a cry. “I don’t. Of course, I don’t. He’s absolutely right.”
Ash nodded. “You better believe I am.”
Jericho stepped in then. “Come on, Ash. Dial it back. She knows she did wrong.”
Ash shifted his furious gaze to his brother. “What? Now you’re defending her? What’s up with that?”
Marnie cleared her throat. “We, um, we came to an understanding, Jericho and me. He still thinks I’m weird—but not crazy or on drugs.”
Jericho explained, “She overheard us talking in the study.”
“Talking about what?” Tessa demanded.
Ash answered reluctantly, “Jericho was saying that maybe she needed professional help.”
Jericho snorted. “I wasn’t nearly that diplomatic about it.”
“Oh, no …” Tessa stared at her pityingly.
Marnie shrugged and looked down at the floor. Since Jericho had caught up with her on his bike, she’d done a lot of looking down. “I did overhear what Jericho said. And I was a little crazy. But I’m pulling it together, as of now.” She raised her head, straightened her spine, and made herself meet her brother-in-law’s still-angry gaze. “I’m past the nervous breakdown phase. I swear I am.”
Ash gave her a long once-over. Finally, he nodded. “Well, all right, then. Sorry for jumping down your throat.” He pulled Tessa closer and pressed a kiss to her temple.
She nudged him in the side. “You went a little overboard, you know?”
“Yeah,”Ash admitted. “Maybe. But I don’t like to see you freaked out, especially now, with the baby coming.”
Marnie wondered if she’d heard right. “Uh. The baby?”
Jericho let out a low chuckle.
Tessa sighed.
Ash’s brows drew together. “You didn’t tell her.”
Tessa sent him a weary glance. “I was waiting till she at least had a good night’s sleep. But so much for that.”
Marnie groaned. “That’s right. You didn’t have even one margarita, just to be sociable. And no wine. Only sparkling water. Am I oblivious or what?”
Tessa eased out of Ash’s protective embrace. “You have a lot on your mind.”
Jericho said, “Hey, Ash. Walk me out.”
Marnie sent him a grateful look. “Thanks, Jericho. For everything.”
“Later.” One corner of his mouth twitched in what could almost be called a smile as he turned again for the French doors.
When the men were gone and the sisters were alone, Marnie grabbed Tessa in a long, tight hug. “I can hardly believe it. A baby. My sister’s having a baby….” She took Tessa by the shoulders and held her away enough to look up into her sweet face. “When are you due?”
“Late October.”
“You’re going to be an amazing mother, you know that?”
Tessa’s cheeks flushed. It was good to see some color back in them. “I’m going to give it my best shot.”
“I’m so sorry I scared you. Never, ever again.”
Tessa’s eyes gleamed. “Well, at least if you could try and wait until after the baby’s born …”
